The severe economic crisis is tangible inside any Spanish activity and the car industry has been deeply affected in the last years, with annual production declined from 3 million in 2004 to 2.35 million in 2011. Domestic market dropped 50% from 1.6 million in the 2007 to 0.8 million last year, with dramatic effects over distributors, dealers and all activities correlated.

Unfortunately the crisis is absolutely not over.

In April, the new government approved a strong fiscal and economic plan to reduce inefficiency and support employment. However, also under the more optimistic scenario, Spain can not avoid three to five years of hard economic restrictions, reduced public expense, higher taxation and lower consumer’s income.

Many sectors will suffer, including the automotive. The domestic car market will further hit and others negative year-on-year performance will be reported in the next months. As far as full year 2012, focus2move forecast 730.000 units, down 10% from last year and in the 2013 projections are for further 30.000/50.000 units lost.

Seat, the domestic brand, part of Volkswagen group, is living a tragedy, losing the leadership in its domestic market, the only that justify the reason for the group to invest in the Spanish brand, low performing all over the world.

Seat was the market leader in the 2010, selling over 89.000 units with a share of 9.1%. During the 2011, the market share was flat, while competitors gained share and Volkswagen closed the year only 2.000 units down. Starting the 2012, Seat dropped. In January the share was 6.5%, down 2.6 points from previous year; in the following months, the share was slightly better, but year to date May, Seat ranked only fourth, with 25.895 sales and 7.8% share.

The new market leader is Volkswagen, with 31.208 sales year to date May and 9.4% of share (but 10.4% in May!), followed by Peugeot, with 26.928 units and 8.1% of share, and Citroen, with 26.255 sales and 7.9% of share.

In the table below, the best selling 20 brands, ordered by year-to-date position:

Rank

Brand

May

YTD May

2011

Gen

Feb

Mar

April

May

YTD May

1

Volkswagen

7.729

31.208

8,9%

8,5%

8,7%

9,8%

8,6%

10,7%

9,4%

2

Peugeot

6.040

26.928

7,9%

9,5%

8,5%

6,1%

8,9%

8,3%

8,1%

3

Citroen

5.424

26.255

7,3%

7,5%

8,3%

7,7%

8,6%

7,5%

7,9%

4

Seat

5.463

25.895

9,1%

6,5%

7,9%

8,3%

8,5%

7,5%

7,8%

5

Ford

5.265

25.623

8,0%

7,5%

7,5%

8,9%

6,9%

7,3%

7,7%

6

Opel

5.828

23.645

7,2%

6,1%

7,6%

6,7%

6,9%

8,0%

7,1%

7

Renault

6.510

23.492

7,9%

5,2%

6,5%

7,3%

6,6%

9,0%

7,1%

8

Audi

3.609

17.241

4,7%

5,9%

5,1%

4,8%

5,4%

5,0%

5,2%

9

Toyota

3.475

17.027

4,8%

5,7%

4,6%

5,7%

4,7%

4,8%

5,1%

10

Nissan

3.039

16.436

4,9%

5,8%

4,8%

5,8%

3,9%

4,2%

4,9%

11

Hyundai

2.593

12.994

3,5%

4,4%

3,8%

3,7%

4,2%

3,6%

3,9%

12

BMW

1.926

11.785

3,5%

4,1%

4,7%

3,2%

3,2%

2,7%

3,5%

13

Mercedes

1.941

10.080

2,9%

3,3%

2,7%

3,2%

3,4%

2,7%

3,0%

14

Kia

1.657

8.193

2,4%

2,5%

2,5%

2,5%

2,5%

2,3%

2,5%

15

Fiat

1.682

8.191

2,0%

1,9%

3,0%

2,5%

2,6%

2,3%

2,5%

16

Chevrolet

1.715

7.564

2,2%

2,2%

2,5%

2,0%

2,4%

2,4%

2,3%

17

Skoda

1.493

7.403

2,0%

2,3%

2,0%

2,5%

2,2%

2,1%

2,2%

18

Dacia

1.665

6.886

1,9%

2,1%

1,8%

1,7%

2,6%

2,3%

2,1%

19

Mini

730

3.526

1,0%

1,1%

1,2%

1,1%

1,0%

1,0%

1,1%

20

Land Rover

448

3.058

0,6%

1,2%

1,1%

0,7%

1,1%

0,6%

0,9%

Looking at the best selling models, Seat was still leading thanks to the Ibiza. However, in spite Ibiza was leading the tear to date ranking with 12.443 units and 3.7% of share, in May it was only 5th with share dropped at 2.6%. Nissan Quasquai was the second in the year-to-date ranking, with 10.181 sales and 3.1% share, while in May it was 6th. Volkswagen Polo was third with 9.974 sales and Renault Megane was 4th, with 9.727, leading May, with 2.916 sales and 4.0% share.

In the table below, the best selling 30 models, ranked for the year-to-date position:

Rank

Model

May

Ytd May

May

Ytd May

2011 Ranking

1

Seat Ibiza

1.906

12.443

2,6%

3,7%

1

2

Nissan Qashqai

1.784

10.171

2,5%

3,1%

2

3

Volkswagen Polo

2.889

9.974

4,0%

3,0%

6

4

Renault Megane

2.916

9.727

4,0%

2,9%

3

5

Opel Corsa

2.195

8.786

3,0%

2,6%

9

6

Volkswagen Golf

1.983

8.675

2,7%

2,6%

5

7

Citroen C4

1.411

8.333

1,9%

2,5%

13

8

Peugeot 207

1.352

8.199

1,9%

2,5%

8

9

Peugeot 308

1.517

7.821

2,1%

2,3%

12

10

Ford Fiesta

1.271

7.573

1,8%

2,3%

11

11

Seat Leon

1.704

6.978

2,4%

2,1%

4

12

Opel Astra

1.441

6.620

2,0%

2,0%

10

13

Citroen C3

1.476

6.449

2,0%

1,9%

18

14

Ford Focus

1.426

6.360

2,0%

1,9%

7

15

Citroen C4 Picasso

1.329

5.900

1,8%

1,8%

15

16

Renault Clio

1.432

5.010

2,0%

1,5%

14

17

Ford C-Max

1.179

4.819

1,6%

1,4%

24

18

Toyota Auris

874

4.708

1,2%

1,4%

19

19

BMW 1-Series

652

4.447

0,9%

1,3%

27

20

Audi A3

964

4.210

1,3%

1,3%

22

21

Renault Scenic

1.230

4.196

1,7%

1,3%

17

22

Hyundai ix35

910

4.160

1,3%

1,2%

31

23

Toyota Yaris

621

3.856

0,9%

1,2%

37

24

Seat Altea

1.123

3.765

1,6%

1,1%

21

25

Opel Insignia

829

3.746

1,1%

1,1%

20

26

Dacia Sandero

791

3.670

1,1%

1,1%

38

27

Fiat 500

686

3.604

0,9%

1,1%

57

28

Volkswagen Passat

667

3.601

0,9%

1,1%

16

29

Skoda Fabia

724

3.580

1,0%

1,1%

28

30

Volkswagen Tiguan

685

3.280

0,9%

1,0%

54

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